Clarinet

ABSTRACT

A clarinet designed to use the Boehm system of fingering has in addition to a second B and an added C-natural hole with means for controlling said holes with the left hand (all as disclosed in my prior U. S. Pat. No. 3,526,165 dated Sept. 1, 1970) and has in addition a D-natural hole and a C-sharp hole, together with left hand control means therefor. The effective musical range for left hand operation is thereupon increased to about one and one-half octaves.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,747,460

Robbins July 24, 1973 CLARINET [76] inventor: Jack w. Robbins, 63.40 N. Wayne "9" Chicago L Asszstant Exammer-Lawrence R. Franklin Attorney-Max R. Kraus [22] Filed: Dec. 1, 1972 Appl. No.: 311,407

US. Cl. 84/382 [51] int. Ci. Gl0d 7/06 581 Field ofSenrch 4/ [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 93,005 7/1869 Rebhun 84/382 391,479 10/1888 Mahillon 84/382 2,674,l48' 4/1954 Christensen 84/382 [57] ABSTRACT A clarinet designed to use the Boehm system of fingering has in addition to a second B and an added C- natural hole with means for controlling said holes with the left hand (all as disclosed in my prior U. S. Pat. No. 3,526,165 dated Sept. 1, i970) and has in addition a D-natural hole and a C-sharp hole, together with left hand control means therefor. The effective musical range for left hand operation is thereupon increased to about one and one-half octaves.

Y 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures CLARINET INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL STATEMENT I OF INVENTION This invention relates to a clarinet adapted for use with the well-known Boehm system of fingering and is an improvement upon the invention disclosed in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,526,165 granted Sept. 1, 1970. In this prior patent, a conventional clarinet constructed to utilize Boehm fingering was provided with an additional B-natural hole and an additional C-natural hole and means operable from the left hand for controlling such holes. As was pointed out in my prior patent, youngsters have small hands and have difficulty or are unable to use both left and right hands for fingering in connection with playing on a conventional clarinet. This situation has proven to be a discouraging hurdle for the average youngster learning to play such as instrument. It is well-known that a child starting to learn to play a clarinet gets quite a lift from rendering a simple melody a short time after the child begins to learn to play.

I have found that a beginner can derive considerable satisfaction from playing a clarinet-using the left hand only for fingering. In my previous patent identified above, I had added an additional B-natural hole (there already is a B-natural hole for the right hand) and an additional C-natural hole together with'valve means for operation or control from theleft hand. While this improvement was helpful for beginners, the desire of most beginners to play simple melodies was curbed to an extent by the limited range of the clarinet for left hand fingering.

By virtue of the improvement disclosed herein, the effective range of a clarinet having the improvement disclosed in my previous patent is increased to about one and one-half octaves. This increase in range greatly enhances the playing of simple melodies by a beginner whose fingering is limited to the left hand. Thus, instead of keeping all notes within the range of one octave, the addition of one-half octave vastly increases the number of melodies which can be handled by the left hand only and dispenses with the necessity for having all arrangements within the limits of an octave.

As a result, a beginner using the new clarinet embodying the present invention herein is able to handle a rather wide variety of melodies for left hand fingering alone and is able to achieve a degree of performance within a number of weeks after beginning lessons. This results in substantial pleasure and satisfaction to both student and listeners. Thus, invigorated by the relatively prompt expertise possible to a beginner, the ambition of a student to master the clarinet has the highly desirable result of maintaining the enthusiasm of the student and substantially reduces the amount of time and effort involved in attaining the degree of proficiency necessary for rendering many simple tunes and melodies.

The invention herein consists in adding holes and valve means to be operated by the left hand fingers, such holes corresponding to C-sharp and D-natural. These additional holes are disposed near the top (reed end) of the clarinet and thus have the effect of adding about three whole tones to the upper portion of the normal octave range which may be fingered from the left hand.

For a more thorough understanding of the invention reference will now be made to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows an elevation from the front of the clarinet embodying the present invention, the mouthpiece being shown in dotted lines, the upper joint to which the improvement applies being shown in full lines, while the remainder of the clarinet comprising a lower joint and a bell being shown in dotted lines.

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing a portion of the upper joint, some conventional holes and keys being omitted for clarity, this figure showing one of the new additions to the clarinet in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1, illustrating the addition of the new C-sharp hole and valving.

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail on line 44 of FIG. 2 and illustrates a conventional valve pad arrangement.

FIG. 5 is a detail of line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and illustrates the lever arrangement for controlling the D-natural hole; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

THE PREFERRED SPECIES The clarinet is of generally conventional construction with the body consisting of two or three detachable pieces, such pieces being of wood or plastic of generally tubular shape. A mouthpiece 10 supports a wellknown reed and has portion 11 shaped to provide a friction joint to upper joint portion 12. The lower part of upper joint portion 12 has its end portion suitably shaped to provide a friction fit with lower joint portion 14. The lower end of joint portion 14 is similarly constructed to provide a friction fit with bell 16. Lower joint portion 14 carries a multiplicity of keys and pads for controlling the opening or closure of holes through the wall of the tubular structure to the interior of the clarinet. No attempt is made to show all of the details of lower joint 14 since the present invention has structural features applied only to upper or top joint portion 12. It is understood that the clarinet embodying the invention is a generally conventional clarinet utilizing Boehm system of fingering, such clarinet including the additional B-natural hole and an additional C-natural hole and means for selectively closing each said holes with valves controlled from the left hand. It is of course understood that the new clarinet embodying the present invention may be played with both hands.

The B-natural hole in upper joint 12 is indicated by 18 and this hole is controlled by a conventional key pad 20 operated by finger control lever 21. Hole 18 is conventional with prior clarinets. In addition to B-natural hole 18, in my previous patent, l disclosed an additional B-natural hole 22 positioned on the left side of the upper joint as seen from the player, this being in distinction to the conventional B hole 18 which as previ ously pointed out is disposed on the right side of the clarinet.

To operate the added B hole 22, key pad 24 carried by arm 26 secured to hollow rod 28 is provided with finger lever 30. Rod 28 is rotatably supported at its opposite ends in spaced posts 32 having trunnions extending into the opposite ends of hollow rod 28, the latter being secured to upper joint 12. The underside of rod 28 is provided by spring means anchored to one of posts 32 for the purpose of biasing the key pad 24 to a closed position over B hole 22. Finger lever 30 for the B hole is positioned on the left side of upper joint 12. The key pad and means for supporting the same are conventional and resemble the other means for opening or closing clarinet holes and require no detailed description. As has been indicated, the additional B hole and its pad control are so positioned as to be operable by a finger of the left hand of the player, this being in distinction to conventional B hole which requires a finger of the right hand for operation.

The additional B hole for left hand control is applied to a conventional clarinet and in addition the clarinet has conventional C-natural hole in upper joint 12 indicated by 34, this latter hole being controlled by conventional key pad 36 operated by conventional finger control lever 38 from the right hand. As fully described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,165, the additional C- natural hole 40 is positioned at the top or generally centrally of either side of the upper joint and this additional hole 40 is controlled by key pad 42 secured to arm 44 supported by hollow rod 46 carrying finger lever 48 disposed on the left side of the upper joint. Rod 46 is rotatably supported at its ends on spaced posts 50 having trunnions.

The C hole is controlled by lever 48 for opening or closing the same, this lever being operated by the left hand. Lever 30 for controlling the B hole extends rearwardly of manually operable lever 48, it being understood that the manual control is by the left hand.

Up to. now the clarinet so far described is a conventional instrument with the addition of a C-natural hole and an additional B-natural hole and controls therefor as set forth in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,165. However, in accordance with the present invention, a new D-natural hole 70 is provided near the top of upper joint 12, the hole being located somewhat to the right on the front elevation of a clarinet. Hole 70 is controlled by pad 71 and a leverage system generally of conventional construction terminating in a finger-piece 73 accessible to one or more fingers of the left hand. In addition to the above added hole 70, there is provided an additional C-sharp hole 75 together with a cooperating pad 76 and a system'of rods and levers including finger actuating member 79 to be actuated by the left hand fingering. it is understood that both of the newly added holes D-natural and C-sharp have their pads spring biased sothat these holes are normally closed.

By virtue of the addition of the holes as set forth above, it is possible to obtain, with the left hand only, chords in C, E, G and C this being a major chord. Additionally it is possible to obtain chords in C-sharp (C-sharp, F-natural, G-sharp, and C-sharp). A chord in D may also be obtained (D, F-sharp, A and D). An additional chord in E-flat is also obtainable (D-flat, G, B-

4 fiat and E-flat).

With the new C-sharp hole and key, it may be used with the A key open and the speaker key open to produce C-sharp. With the A key open and the speaker key open, the new D key open produces D. With the new C-sharp open, the new D key opens in conjunction with the A key open and speaker key open to produce an E-flat tone.

By itself, the new C-sharp open, can be used as a C- natural key. Also with the speaker key open and the thumb hole closed by the thumb the new C-sharp key can be used to obtain a C-natural to D-natural trill. The new D key, used alone, is capable of producing C- sharp.

A clarinet embodying the present invention and also embodying the invention disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,165 makes it possible to play a complete chromatic scale from low'C (one octave below middle C) to E-flat (this being above middle C).

Later as a young beginner matures and is physically able to use both left and right hands for playing and cover open holes in the lower joint of the clarinet, a student can bypass the new keys and use conventional keys for clarinet playing. It is also possible for advanced clarinet players to use the new keys in those situations where the clarinet reed is causing trouble, as when the reed is too dry or too wet or when the room temperature and the humidity become adverse factors. In such instances, an advanced player can use the C-sharp key by itself as a C-natural key and avoid covering all of the holes and possibly squeaking.

The C-sharp key may be used as a C-natural to D- natural trill key and makes possible an important step in playing the clarinet because of a truer pitched tone. On conventional clarinets not provided with my invention, the G-sharp key is used as C-natural to D-natural trill key but the tone is frequently badly out of tune or off pitch. By virtue of my invention it is not only easier for a beginner, particularly if young, to learn and play more melodies with the left hand alone but in addition the new clarinet is much more versatile and can provide truer tones and permits certain trills to be effected without off-pitch tones.

What is claimed is: j

1. In a clarinet having a conventional Boehm system of fingering, the improvement comprising an additional C-sharp hole and an additional D-natural hole, pads for each of said holes and means controlled by fingers of the left hand of the player for operating said pads to open or close the holes as desired.

2. The clarinet according to claim 1 wherein said clarinet has an additional B-natural hole and an additional C-natural hole, all of said holes being in" the upper joint, and means controlled by fingers of the left hand for selectively opening or closing said holes. 

1. In a clarinet having a conventional Boehm system of fingering, the improvement comprising an additional C-sharp hole and an additional D-natural hole, pads for each of said holes and means controlled by fingers of the left hand of the player for operating said pads to open or close the holes as desired.
 2. The clarinet according to claim 1 wherein said clarinet has an additional B-natural hole and an additional C-natural hole, all of said holes being in the upper joint, and means controlled by fingers of the left hand for selectively opening or closing said holes. 